


Luna

by SailorChibi



Series: winterfrostiron verse [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Brainwashing, Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, Civil War Team Iron Man, Depression, Dom Loki, Evil Bucky Barnes, Evil Loki, Evil Tony Stark, Infinity Stones, Jarvis (Iron Man movies) Lives, Light BDSM, Loki Does What He Wants, Loki Needs a Hug, Loneliness, M/M, Minor Character Death, Multi, Nicknames, Not Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie) Compliant, Not Steve Rogers Friendly, PTSD, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Protective Bucky Barnes, Protective Loki, Sub Tony, Switch Bucky, Tony Stark Feels, Tony Stark Has Issues, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Touch-Starved, Touch-Starved Tony Stark, Vision (Marvel) Dies, affectionate nicknames, because loki and bucky are gonna kick your ass, brainwashed wanda maximoff, bucky is okay with watching the world burn, everyone still needs a hug, i'm sure you can guess how those two things are related, ignores infinity war, loki is merciless, loki is stronger than wanda, loki wants to rule the world, loki was brainwashed in the avengers movie, not team Cap friendly, not wanda maximoff friendly, takes place pre-infinity war, the team of your dreams, they're not really evil, they've just been let down a lot, though the evil is subjective, tony and bucky are gonna help him do it, tony stark is everyone's scapegoat, woe betide those who have hurt tony stark
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-20
Updated: 2018-11-22
Packaged: 2019-08-04 15:19:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,997
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16349192
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SailorChibi/pseuds/SailorChibi
Summary: The dreams have become reality - sort of. Tony's not really sure about what he's agreed to... until Loki shows up with a brainwashed Wanda Maximoff in tow and proves that there is no length he won't go to, to protect those who belong to him.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I was so excited to be commissioned for this fic. Not just because of the obvious, but because the commissioner really took the time to talk it out with me and now I have _so many ideas_ for how this series can potentially go down.

Jerking awake from a nightmare always left Tony feeling cold. It was the kind of cold that heaters and blankets couldn't help. The kind of cold that sank deep into your bones, leaving you shivering and feeling like you would never be warm again. It was the cold of the desert at night, when the sun had gone down and the unheated caves cooled too quickly. It was the cold of space, with only a broken piece of man-made armor for protection. It was the cold of Siberia, of being abandoned and left to freeze to death while someone you thought was a friend walked away.

He rolled over onto his side, pulling the blanket up around his shoulders more snugly. FRIDAY kept the room a balmy 75 degrees, but right now that felt more like the Arctic. Had it been JARVIS, the temperature would've already been creeping up to 86 degrees or higher. But FRIDAY was still very much a baby, and she wasn't advanced enough to take that kind of initiative on her own. Worse yet, he knew she would never get to that point if he didn't stop muting her, but he couldn't help himself. Right now, her voice was a constant reminder that he'd lost literally everything.

He was alone.

"Tony?"

Well, not completely alone. Tony blinked slowly at the door, recognizing the voice. It was pretty hard not to. James Barnes had a distinctive voice, with some vowels receiving a distinct Russian lilt while others were dropped altogether. Tony, who had grown up watching all of the footage that existed of Bucky Barnes and Steve Rogers until he had it memorized, could personally attest that _James_ sounded nothing like _Bucky_. Which was fair enough, considering that Bucky had died seventy-some years ago when the Winter Soldier rose up. Now that the Soldier was dead courtesy of Loki, James was left. Whether that was good or bad remained to be seen.

"Tony, are you okay? FRIDAY said you were having a nightmare."

"Tattletale," Tony hissed to the room at large, though of course FRIDAY did not reply. And then, louder, "I'm fine."

"Let me in," James commanded. "Loki told me to make sure you ate. I don't want a punishment tonight, do you?"

Tony scowled at the door. In his saner moments, he wondered what the fuck he'd been thinking when he went to his knees for the psychotic god and agreed to help Loki take over the world. Despite his history of crazy stunts, this probably ranked amongst the craziest. What would Rhodey have said? What would Pepper say? What would the rest of the Avengers think? 

But then reality would catch up, as it so often did, and he'd remember that none of that mattered. Rhodey was dead, he hadn't spoken to Pepper in weeks, and the rest of the Avengers had fucked off to Wakanda and left him behind to deal with everything – and what a long list _everything_ was. At least with Loki and James around, Tony was actually getting sleep for once.

Even if it was because Loki had threatened to throw his phone out the window, and even if he did only sleep well when one of them was in the bed with him. Or in his dreams. He slept _very_ well when they joined him in his dreams.

"Tony!" The doorknob rattled. 

"Okay, okay," Tony grumbled, sliding off the bed and bringing all of the covers with him. He vaguely heard something, probably his phone or the remote for the television, hit the floor and break, but he couldn't summon the energy to care. He hitched a blanket higher, so that it covered his hair, and shuffled over to the door. He didn't remember locking it, but apparently he had. A quick press of his thumb to the lock and the latch clicked open.

James immediately twisted the knob and pushed the door open, nearly hitting Tony in the face. Tony pulled back just in time and frowned up at him, clutching the blankets beneath his chin. There was a very strange expression on James's face as they stared at each other, one that Tony didn't know him well enough to recognize. 

"Food," James said at last, hefting the tray he was holding. There was a small bowl of pasta in a white sauce and some garlic bread, as well as a glass of water. 

Tony squinted at the tray. "Did you ask FRIDAY to order out?" he asked, faintly baffled. He'd been basically living off of take-out during the past few months, but he couldn't think of any restaurant within the surrounding area that would do pasta like this.

"No, I asked FRIDAY to have some groceries delivered. Loki likes pasta," James said, moving into the room and forcing Tony to back up. 

"He does?" Tony said. Apparently a new part of life was going to be learning about a god’s eating habits. Good to know.

"Well, he says he does. He tends to like anything I put in front of him. I haven't figured out if it's because he'll genuinely eat anything, or if it's because he's coddling me." James wore a soft smile as he talked about Loki, which was not what Tony was used to seeing when someone talked about the god. It was weird, but at the same time Tony found himself feeling envious - of Loki or of James, he wasn't sure which. Maybe both.

"You say that like you like being coddled," Tony said.

"I do," James said calmly. "And so do you, maybe even more than I do; I get prickly if it happens too much. I need my space sometimes, but not all the time. Fortunately for both of us, Loki likes doing it." He brushed past Tony and walked over to the bed to set the tray on the nightstand. 

Then, peering at the ground, he knelt and picked up Tony's phone, which did indeed have a shattered screen. Tony sighed at the sight of it. Pepper would probably yell at him later for that. Just the thought of her inevitable disappointment made the weight on his shoulders seem that much heavier. He bowed his head, hunching his shoulders up near his ears in an effort to block out the lecture about the cost of Starkphones and irresponsibility that he could hear coming...

"Darling, look at me." A gentle, firm hand gripped his chin, pulling his head up. Tony opened eyes that he hadn't realized he'd closed and found himself staring into a pair of pale grey eyes. Being the subject of such intense focus made his stomach squirm uncomfortably; he was used to people staring at him, of course, but it hadn't taken him long to realize that both Loki and James could see _through_ him. 

Well, of course they could. They'd come into his dreams and given him what he needed the most when he hadn't even known that's what he wanted or needed. It was frightening. It was exhiliriating. It was, at the moment, too much.

"I... I'm not... I..." Tony stammered.

"Shh. Come here." James pinched the edge of the blanket and gently tugged, urging Tony to follow him. So Tony did, returning to the bed on numb legs, where he was ushered back onto the mattress. It sank beneath their combined weight when James joined him, bringing the bowl of pasta along for the ride. Heedless of the potential for mess, James carefully grasped a penne noodle and held it out.

"You must be joking," Tony said.

James smiled. "I've fed you before."

"That was in a dream!"

"But it felt real, didn't it?" James countered. "I know it did, because my dreams feel real too."

Tony didn't have an answer for that. He licked his lips, looking up at James from under his eyelashes.

"I know Loki is what you need right now. He should be back soon," James murmured, softening his voice. "Let me take care of you until he comes, okay?"

Childishly, Tony's first instinct was to deny that he needed Loki in any way, shape or form. But sometimes silence said more, so he remained quiet. He told himself that the only reason he was giving in was because James was persistent, and unlikely to leave until Tony was fed. So he opened his mouth, allowing James to slide the warm, sweetly spicy noodle into his mouth. He chewed slowly, licking his lips again to remove the last traces of sauce.

Another warm smile was his reward, followed by James taking another noodle and offering it to him. Tony accepted again, chewing thoroughly before swallowing and opening his mouth for more. At first he felt a bit like a baby bird, but gradually the feeling of discomfort died away to be replaced with something that was… not comforting, because Tony refused to let himself think that way, but something that dulled the anxiety he’d been feeling and left him a little less tense.

“That’s good,” James whispered when the bowl was three-quarters empty, and the garlic bread was gone. He sat up and set the bowl aside, moving like he was going to get up.

Tony’s hand darted out and gripped James’s sleeve.

There was a pause during which they both looked down at Tony’s hand, James with an unreadable expression and Tony with growing incredulity and embarrassment. What the hell did his hand think it was doing? 

“Sorry,” he said abruptly, letting go. He jumped when James caught his hand, freezing. Unlike Loki, who had long fingers and deceptively slender hands, James’s hands were bigger than Tony’s. He held Tony’s hand gently but firmly, so that Tony would’ve had to pull hard to get free.

“One of the first rules Loki taught me,” James murmured, “was that I wasn’t allowed to apologize for needing something, whether that was a hand petting my hair or to be whipped hard and then fucked.”

Tony was very good at controlling his expressions; god knew he’d had plenty of experience, but something must have slipped through. James’s lips quirked into a faint smile.

“It’s okay, Darling,” he soothed. “We know you don’t enjoy that kind of play. Loki will never touch you with anything other than his hand or hit you for anything other than a punishment spanking if you don’t want it. You want to be petted and worshiped. We understand that. It’s why you’re so perfect for us.”

His face, filled with so much naked affection, was as hard to take as his words. Tony’s heart was pounding again and he found it hard to think. He’d never been _seen_ so clearly. No one knew him well enough to know what the smallest change of a facial feature meant. All of his masks had been peeled away in the course of several nights, leaving… just him. And he wasn’t used to that. It was terrifying. 

“I’ve scared you. I’m sorry,” James said.

“I don’t get scared,” Tony said sharply, which sounded ludicrous even to his own ears. He wouldn’t have blamed James for laughing at him. 

Surprisingly, James didn’t. Instead, he sighed and said, “I thought I didn’t, either. When Loki woke me up, I thought I had seen everything there was to be scared of.” He kept his face turned down, eyes locked onto their joined hands. “I was wrong. There is… so much. Too much.”

Tony stared at him, at once speechless and burning with questions, but, before he could even start to think of how to form those questions into actual words, James tensed and sat up. An odd feeling ran through Tony. It was like someone with very cold hands had run their index finger from the back of his neck down the length of his spine. He shivered.

“Loki’s back,” James said suddenly, another smile crossing his face. “Come on.”

He swung himself off the bed, and, because he still had a hold Tony’s hand, Tony was dragged along. Tony barely had the time to grab a sheet to wrap around himself before he was being pulled out of his bedroom. He caught his balance by the time they made it to the door and began moving under his own power. Not because he was anxious to see Loki or anything like that, but because he was curious. That’s all. Just curious.

“FRI, where is he?” James asked.

Because they were outside the bedroom, FRIDAY was able to answer. “On the landing strip.”

Hearing her voice made Tony cringe, at once guilty and resentful. James squeezed his hand and moved faster, towing Tony along again. They turned the corner and FRIDAY opened the door without being asked, letting them emerge into bright sunshine that made Tony’s eyes, used to the darkness of the bedroom, ache. In spite of that, his blinking eyes were automatically drawn to the middle of the platform…

Where Loki stood, with Wanda Maximoff just behind him.


	2. Chapter 2

Tony ran. 

It wasn't a conscious decision on his part. One moment he was standing beside James and the next he was crashing through the doors of the workshop, chest so tight with panic that he could barely breathe. The doors slammed shut behind him and locked automatically, but that didn't mean much. This was Wanda they were talking about. She'd already proven how skilfull she was with magic; it was entirely possible she could teleport in here, or worse, use her magic to get into his head and make Tony unlock the doors for her. He wasn't safe here. He had to leave.

The Mark XLVI loomed before him as he staggered across the room. He stopped short and stared at it. He'd been forced to retire the armor after returning home from Siberia. The offical excuse was that it would've taken a significant amount of time, effort and money to get it back into fighting condition. The reality was that this particular suit held too many horrendous memories for him to even consider donning it again. Rogers had really done a number on it. He lifted a shaking hand and pressed it across his chest, knowing that there was a scar across his torso that mirrored the groove carved deep into the chest of the Mark XLVI. 

"Boss?" FRIDAY said, her voice soft. A shiver swept up his spine. 

"W-what?" Tony stuttered.

"They're worried about you, Boss."

Worried. Tony wanted to laugh at the idea. How could he have bought their lies? Their bullshit? Obviously the two of them had been playing him if they were in league with Wanda Maximoff. There was no way in hell Wanda would ever work with him. She still hated Tony's guts. And he’d played right into their hands. Pathetic, needy, _desperate_ Tony Stark…

"Should I tell them -"

"I don't care what the fuck you tell them," Tony said, clutching at his chest now. It still felt like he couldn't breathe. He could barely choke the words out. "Tell them whatever the fuck you want, _I don't care_. Just - just get that _witch_ out of my tower." He was ashamed of the way his voice broke on the word 'witch', and turned his head away. Wishing, not for the first time, that he hadn't given FRIDAY access to the whole tower. It hurt too much.

"Okay. Should I -"

"Mute!" Tony screamed at the ceiling. Her questions weren't something that he was capable of handling right now. JARVIS would've known what to do. He would've locked the tower down immediately. He would’ve gotten them out and kept Tony safe.

But FRIDAY didn't know that much yet. She didn't understand. It wasn't her fault, and Tony knew that, but it didn't stop him from pressing his shaking hands over his ears and staggering to the nearest horizontal surface. He sank down, squeezing his eyes shut, and slowly rocked back and forth. 

It was Wanda's fault that JARVIS wasn't here, but it was Tony's fault too. When he thought back to the nightmare she'd shown him - how could he have known how far they would fall? In his quest to save the world, he'd ripped apart the best chance they had for survival. Now JARVIS was dead, the Avengers were scattered, and Tony was useless. He slid further down the couch, rolling over and pressing his face into the back of it. In that moment, he missed Rhodey so much that it felt like a physical ache. He would've given anything for a hug from his brother.

\--

"We fucked up."

"Obviously," Loki said. 

James didn't taken the cold, prickly tone to heart. After having spent months at Loki's side, he was used to it. Instead, he cast another look at the workshop doors. Knowing that Tony was on the other side was frustrating, especially when they didn't know exactly what was wrong. Something about Loki's arrival had sent Tony into a panic and James had a sneaking suspicion as to what that something was, but the exact details eluded them.

Regardless, he turned a dark gaze on the Hydra witch, who was standing in the corner. It had been a little hard to look at her vacant stare at first, but he was swiftly overcoming that jolt of... not sympathy, but pity. Pity because he knew what it was like to be someone else's puppet. 

But James Barnes had never done what she had. Maximoff had willingly joined Hydra. She’d tortured people and laughed. She’d left a trail of bodies in her wake and never thought twice about the blood that stained her hands. And somehow, she’d manipulated the rest of the Avengers into thinking she was innocent so that she could hide behind them. She didn't deserve his pity. 

Especially not when it turned out she'd hurt someone who was so important to Loki and James.

"What did you do to him?" he growled, rising to his feet and stalking over to her. Maximoff didn't even look at him. She couldn't. She was so deeply under Loki's control right now that she wasn't even aware that he was speaking to her. That she wouldn’t know it was happening didn’t make the urge to punch her in her sweet little face any less overwhelming.

"If I may," FRIDAY interrupted. "I can give you some of the background details you are missing."

He paused at that, surprised, and tipped his head back to peer at the ceiling. "You can? Tony didn't order you not to?"

"Boss said that I could tell you whatever I wanted," FRIDAY said, and James winced. He knew there was some friction between her and Tony. For a guy who praised his 'bots and A.I.'s like there was no tomorrow, Tony was weirdly touchy when it came to FRIDAY. Something had happened. Something big. But he couldn't figure out what it was, and FRIDAY hadn't been able to explain. Now, he supposed he'd be able to find out whatever he wanted. The moment felt bittersweet.

"Then tell us what the history is between the witch and my pet," Loki snapped. 

"Loki," James said softly. His skin itched at the thought of being close to anyone right now, but he still went to Loki and slid to his knees so that he could rest his head against Loki's thigh. He could feel the tension thrumming through Loki, and knew that he wasn't enough right now. Loki could always tell when James wasn't in the right frame of mind to submit. This was why they needed Tony; it was why Tony fit with them so well. James felt the absence of Tony Stark between them more keenly at that moment than he had since Loki had first told him that Tony would become theirs.

"You know that Wanda Maximoff was a Hydra agent," FRIDAY said.

"Yes," James confirmed.

"She used her magic on Boss and the other Avengers. This was before I became active," FRIDAY said. She went on to tell them what she knew: the attack on the Avengers. The creation of Ultron, and the subsequent loss of JARVIS. James flinched at that one. How Maximoff and her brother had abandoned their ideals in favor of saving their own asses. How she'd joined the team at the behest of Steve Rogers.

That tidbit, even though James had already known, still made him want to throw up. He listened with increasing horror to what FRIDAY was telling them and wondered how the hell that skinny little punk from Brooklyn had grown up into a guy who made such appalling decisions. How could Steve have let Maximoff join the Avengers after she’d deliberately fucked with their minds? How could he have trusted a Hydra agent that had _helped Ultron_ and only switched sides to save her own skin?

“One of the triggers for Boss’s PTSD is the Scarlet Witch. He is terrified of her mind powers, particularly because Maximoff experiences varying levels of control depending on the situation and because he has no protection against her. He lives in fear of creating another Ultron. He panicked when he saw her standing on the landing strip and that’s why he ran. He now believes that the two of you have joined her and that she is helping you.”

James physically recoiled. “He – he thinks that – oh _shit no_.”

Loki made a quiet, threatening sound deep in his throat. “FRIDAY, open the workshop doors.” Face pale but eyes glowing with rage, Loki made a sharp gesture at the witch. Maximoff vanished.

“I can’t,” said FRIDAY.

“Did Tony tell you that?” James asked.

There was a pause, and he knew that the answer was no. The doors to the workshop slid open very slowly. Loki touched James’s shoulder before he stepped away, striding into the workshop. James got to his feet and trailed behind, pausing at the door. He was not what Tony needed right now, though he wanted to be close so that he could join in when it became safe.

Tony was huddled in on himself on the couch. His face was buried in his hands and his knees were pulled up against his chest. He was trembling from head to toe. James ached to go over and pull him into a hug.

“Pet,” Loki said, and his voice was deep and soft and captivating. “Listen to me. We are not working with the witch. When I freed him, James asked for my help in disabling Hydra and I agreed. I can’t have anyone competing with me to take over the world.” 

The only response he got was a hitched sob.

“James identified the witch as a powerful Hydra agent who needed to eliminated sooner rather than later. She’s not on my level, of course, but she could cause problems down the line if she’s not taken care of. But when I went to kill her, I realized her powers are very close to the Infinity Stones. I believe she may be of use in helping us to destroy them. That’s why I brought her here. Had I known what she did to you, I would not have done so.”

“Is… is s-she…” Tony’s voice was nothing more than a shaky whisper.

“I’ve banished her. She’s sealed in a pocket dimension of my own making. She can’t get out until I choose to let her out. She can’t hurt you, my sweet. She will never hurt you again.”

Loki reached out as he spoke and set a gentle hand on Tony’s right foot. Tony physically jolted at the contact, head popping up to reveal a wet, tear-stained face and glassy brown eyes.

“I am not all-knowing,” Loki whispered regretfully. “I can’t profess to know what happened to you or to James when I was not there. But now that I am here, you have my word that I will do everything in my considerable power to prevent anyone from harming you again. A pathetic _witch_ could never hold a candle to me. You are safe with us, Pet.”

Tony’s eyes flicked to James. James nodded, hoping that the sincerity of Loki’s words were reflected in his face. Whatever Tony was looking for, he must have found it: his face crumpled and he suddenly launched himself forward. Loki was ready for it, opening his arms and scooping Tony up into his lap. Tony dissolved into a combination of tears and gasping sobs, his shaking beginning anew. Loki’s arms closed securely around him. 

“There now, you’re safe,” Loki crooned, beckoning to James with a finger. James approached quickly and sat beside them, close enough that he could feel their body heat but not close enough to touch. The approving smile that Loki graced him with was more than enough.

“You’re going to kill her, right?” James asked, looking at Loki. “When we don’t need her anymore?”

Loki smiled. It was a dark, haunting smile that spoke of very unpleasant things. Tony, had he not been in the midst of a panic attack, may have found it comforting. James found it arousing. He _liked_ that smile. It made him feel safe.

“Of course we’re going to kill her,” Loki murmured, stroking Tony’s hair. 

“We? I get to have a part in it?”

“Tony will,” Loki said, and Tony’s choked breaths quieted. “I shall strip her of her powers. Perhaps I’ll replicate them and use them on her so she has a taste of what it’s like. I’ll let Tony decide. Then he can kill her.”

James smiled too then, a flood of something vicious roiling through him. “I can’t wait.”


	3. Chapter 3

Tony woke to a headache and the sensation of someone's fingers running through his hair. He opened his eyes slightly and realized that his head was in Loki's lap. Loki was petting his hair with one hand and holding an orb of green magic in the other, focused on it to the point that he didn't seem to notice that Tony was conscious. A quick glance around the room told Tony that they were back in his bedroom, and they were alone. There was no sign of James. Maybe that should've been alarming, but it wasn't. He was much more relaxed and comfortable than he should've been considering that he was alone with someone who'd brought Maximoff into the tower.

But then, it wasn't like Tony could really hold that against either one of them. Seeing her again had been a terrible shock to the system, but he could see where Loki and James were coming from. They'd thought of her as a Hydra agent who needed to be taken in hand. Loki had seen in her the potential to help deal with the Infinity Stones. Of course they'd brought her back to the tower. Where else would they go? It had been pretty clear from day one that neither of them had a base of operations. The tower was where they were staying right now and it had the best security in the city.

If anything, Tony felt a little ashamed that he'd jumped to as many conclusions as he had last night. He'd immediately assumed that they were in league with her. Now, coming out the other side of a panic attack with a bad headache and a horrific taste in his mouth, Tony realized that there was absolutely no way James Barnes would ever team up with someone from Hydra - much less someone who could ensnare your mind with the snap of her finger. If anything, Maximoff was probably lucky that James hadn't killed her on sight. That was probably due to Loki's influence, being that Loki saw her magic as potentially valuable.

He must've moved, or otherwise done something to indicate that he was awake, because the fingers in his hair suddenly stopped and Loki sighed. His other hand dropped to the bed, putting the green orb within view of Tony's eyes. Tony stared into it, curious in spite of himself, because he'd never found himself afraid of Loki's magic. In light of what had happened, he found himself grateful that Loki's magic was a soothing shade of green (the same green as Loki's eyes, in fact) and not red. Had it been red, Tony probably would've freaked out a long time ago.

"What's that?" Tony whispered. He could see flecks of silver light moving around inside the globe.

"I'm trying to find the other Infinity Stones," Loki replied, voice equally soft. "I feel we should destroy as many of them as we can before Thanos comes calling. He can't destroy the universe if there are no Stones."

Tony hummed at that. It was a solid plan as far as he was concerned. "Do you know where they are?"

"There are two on Earth, the Mind Stone and the Time Stone. One is on Asgard. There is another on Xandar, which is a planet you wouldn't have heard of. I believe another may be a man known only as the Collector, though I would have to verify that claim. And one is beyond our reach." Loki rattled the list off quickly, as though he'd been expecting Tony to ask.

"Why is one of them off limits?" Tony asked.

"The Soul Stone. It requires a sacrifice to reach. It's not one that I am willing to make," Loki said. There was an edge of finality to his voice. "Besides, if we destroy the other five stones, then I don't feel that we need to destroy the Soul Stone."

It seemed like it would be safer to destroy all the Stones, but Tony knew better than to push for details right now. He'd ask James later. Instead, he hummed quietly and lowered his gaze back to the orb. Loki must have been able to see things in it that Tony couldn't, which made sense. He knew that the Mind Stone was in Vision, but the Time Stone wasn't familiar and he couldn't think of anyone that he knew of who might possess it. He was about to ask who on Earth had the Time Stone when reality caught up with him and his jaw snapped shut.

Vision.

"The Mind Stone..." Tony said uncertainly.

Loki looked down at him and spoke frankly. "Its destruction will most likely kill the android."

Oh. Tony had no response for that. He stared at Loki with wide eyes, speechless and uncertain as to how he should feel. On the one hand, Vision was the last thing that Tony had left of JARVIS. But on the other hand, it wasn't like Vision was a particularly good friend - or even a friend at all. Tony hadn't seen him since the battle at the airport. He had no idea where Vision had gone, and half-thought that he might have gone to Wakanda to join up with the Rogues. It wouldn't have surprised him. There had always been a flicker of something between Vision and Maximoff. Even after what she'd done, it was like Vision couldn't bring himself to stay away from her.

Perhaps he got that addictive personality from Tony.

"Do you have to kill him?" Tony asked, careful to his keep his voice blank.

"I don't see how we could remove the Mind Stone without it," said Loki. "The Mind Stone is incredibly powerful. Even if the android survived, he would still be dead with nothing to power him."

Tony took a deep breath and let it out slowly. His instinct was to argue. Vision had never done anything wrong, and he really didn't deserve to die just because the Mind Stone was keeping him alive. But then again, the Stones had to be destroyed to save millions of people. It wasn't a decision he felt comfortable making. He lowered his head back into Loki's lap and shut his eyes so that he couldn't see the globe again. He was tired of being the one who had to make these kinds of calls. It was exhausting to always be the one who weighed the pros and cons, the one who saw the bigger picture and not just the smaller details, the one who took the heat for everything. He made a low, whining sound and Loki's fingers began to run through his hair again.

"I am going to kill him," Loki said slowly, at the same time.

"Can you make it quick?" Tony whispered. Maybe, at one time, he would've leapt to fight against or figure out how to stop Loki. But Tony Stark was tired. The world had beaten him down one too many times. He would miss Vision, but only because he was losing the last of JARVIS. 

"As quick as the witch can make it, my beautiful pet," Loki murmured, which Tony knew meant that Loki was pleased with him. That was new. No one had _ever_ been happy with Tony for refusing to make a decision. It was an entirely new experience to know that he could be praised for dropping the decision making power into someone else's lap. He found that he liked it, and cuddled a little bit closer to Loki.

"When you're done..." Tony trailed off.

"Yes?" Loki prompted when it became clear that Tony wasn't going to continue.

"Would you bring his body back here? I doubt you know how Vision was created, but he was born from Ultron and... and JARVIS." Tony's voice dropped to a whisper. His already cracked heart broke a little bit more just saying JARVIS's name out loud.

"JARVIS," Loki repeated. "I recall you saying that name during the first Battle. But you have FRIDAY now."

Tony winced at the mention of FRIDAY, feeling a flush of renewed guilt. He'd been so horrible to FRDAY, he knew. JARVIS would be ashamed of him. But it was like he couldn't help himself. He thought he'd been dealing with JARVIS's death, but then when Rhodey died... it was like all those horrible emotions came rushing back and it was all Tony could do to keep his head above the surface. He couldn't have Rhodey back, but maybe with Vision's death there might be a way to get JARVIS back. It was terribly selfish, but Tony was desperate to know if that was the case.

He pushed himself up, avoiding Loki's eyes. "I want JARVIS back," he said. It came out a lot meeker than he'd intended. Where had all his strength gone? Had it been buried with Rhodey, or frozen in Siberia?

"Then you shall have him."

Startled, Tony turned to look, only to find that Loki had vanished. He stared at the spot where the god had been moments before, wondering if that whole conversation had been a dream. But no: the green orb of magic was still laying on Tony's sheets. He eyed it warily, half-expecting it to explode in his face, then gave it a quick nudge with his index finger. The ball rolled over harmlessly. It was cool to the touch, but not so cold that Tony couldn't pick it up and hold it in the palm of his hand. It fit comfortably within his hand, since it was about the size of a baseball. He wondered why Loki had left it behind.

"That was weird," he muttered to himself, setting the orb down on his nightstand with care. But then, it was hardly the first time Loki had come and gone so abruptly. James seemed like he was used to it. Maybe Tony would become that way with time, too.

He decided to take a quick shower, since he'd sweat through his t-shirt and sweat pants during his panic attack, and then ventured out of his bedroom. He could've asked FRIDAY if James was still in the Tower, but honestly he felt terrible for having screamed at her earlier and he wasn't wholly sure how he was going to apologize yet. Perhaps he should seriously consider reassigning FRIDAY to James. Tony had other A.I.'s on the back burner that were less sentinent than FRIDAY, which would be both a blessing and a curse depending on what he was doing. But it would make FRIDAY and James happy, and it meant that Tony wouldn't have to be constantly reminded of what he'd lost. 

He wandered into the kitchen and found James seated at the table, flipping through a newspaper. Tony paused for a moment, just watching him, then said, "You know, we have tablets for that."

"I know," James said calmly. "Sometimes I like having a real newspaper in my hands."

Tony flinched. "Steve used to say that."

James stilled at that, staring down at the newspaper with a pinched expression. Then he said, "I barely remember what life was like when I was a kid. Steve spent hours telling me about all these different things while I was in cryo. I didn't have the heart to tell him that most of those people were like strangers to me."

"It's probably best you didn't. I'm not sure he would've accepted that well," Tony said carefully, knowing it was an understatement. Everything Steve had done during the so-called civil war was in the name of Bucky Barnes. Natasha had tried to point out once that Bucky would probably be a different person after everything he'd gone through and Steve had practically bitten her head off for what was, in retrospect, a relatively obvious conclusion. 

"I didn't mind leaving him behind," James continued, as though Tony hadn't spoken. "When Loki offered me the chance to get away, I leapt at it." He finally looked away from the newspaper, looking at Tony with penetrating grey eyes. "I'm not his friend anymore. Loki and you are the only things that matter to me. I wouldn't do anything to put you or him at risk."

This was about Maximoff, Tony realized. He moved closer and slid into a chair opposite James. "It was just a shock to see her here. She... she really fucked with my head last time."

"I'm sorry we didn't know," James said. 

"I'm sorry for jumping to the worst conclusion," Tony said quietly. It was hard for him to trust after he'd been screwed over so many times. He wasn't nearly ready to put that into words right now, but, looking at James's face, he thought he probably didn't have to: James understood, just like Loki did.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: this chapter contains details of Loki trapping Wanda in her mind and using her body to kill someone (Vision). If that makes you uncomfortable, I advise you skip this one.

Sometimes Loki wished he could see Odin again, if only so that he could show Odin how far he'd come. The lessons he'd learned, and the lessons he'd cast aside. Whoever would have thought that Loki, the unfavored Prince of Asgard, would be one of the only people standing between Thanos and the annihilation of half the universe? Certainly not Odin. No, Loki would always remember the glint in Odin's eye as he sat back in his throat. The mixture of condescension and smugness had grated, particularly when the first words out of Odin's mouth had been akin to 'I knew it'. 

_I knew you'd fuck up. I knew we'd be here someday, with your lies chained away by a mask and your magic bound. I knew I would someday have the opportunity to cast judgment upon you. I knew that Thor would see you for what you really are if I gave you both enough time. I knew that your nature would show through, and that I would be able to come out on top as the compassionate, sorrowful king being forced to punish his wayward son. I knew that I would be able to tuck you away in the dungeons where you belonged and never have to deal with my past mistakes._

No. Odin knew nothing.

He left his precious pet sitting on the bed, safe within the walls of Stark tower, and willed himself to where he'd banished the witch. She was sitting on the floor amidst a haze of black, blank eyes gazing out into the darkness. On the outside, she appeared unaffected. Anyone who happened to pass by would've thought she was at ease. Loki alone could sense what was happening within the confines of her mind. The horror and fear radiating off of her was delightful, and even moreso now that he knew what kind of hand she'd played in Tony's suffering.

"Witch," Loki said, his voice cold and commanding, and she turned to face him immediately. She was screaming at him. Loki enjoyed it. He wanted her anger, her fear. It was what she deserved.

She'd tried to attack him when Loki had first appeared to him. Her attempts at magic had been laughable. Given time and a great deal of practice she could probably be a worthy contender, though she would never be strong enough to beat him. She was a human, with limited capabilities and even more limited time to learn, and he was a god. He'd subdued her easily, sealing away her magic. Her panic had been both glorious and delicious, particularly when he delved into her memories and caught a glimpse of _how_ she'd learned to use her magic. James had been right to fear the witch; she took delight in hurting people, in teasing out their deepest fears and then turning those fears against them, and that was what she missed the most about her time with Hydra.

"I have a job for you," he continued. "You're going to help me and mine destroy the Infinity Stones. Your magic was granted by a Stone, so you are the perfect conduit to destroy them." He moved, gliding around her in a slow circle. He sensed her panic spike when he was behind her, out of view, and smiled as he added, "Then, when you have finished being useless, we shall see. Your fate rests in the hands of my pet."

She didn't know who that referred to. She thought that maybe it was James. Loki could have told her, but decided just as quickly not to. He relished the thought of her reaction when she found out that it was none other than Tony Stark. He would keep her alive long enough to see that the Earth was Loki's, and that James and Tony would join him in ruling. All of her pathetic, petty little dreams of seeing a broken, cowed Tony Stark at her feet would never come to fruition. And, indeed, it would be Tony who would ultimately decide her fate. 

He transported them both back to Earth, specifically to a small town in Africa. He'd known for some time of the clandestine meetings between the witch and Vision. James had spied on them both several times, learning their routine. They weren't very smart about their meetings, using the same method of communication and frequenting the same hotels. It made for easy spying, but their lack of care disgusted James. It was evident to anyone who paid an ounce of attention that the witch felt she had no reason to fear anyone. Whether that was because she was that confident in her abilities or because she truly believed she'd done nothing wrong was anyone's guess.

“You will call the Vision and tell him to meet you here immediately,” Loki commanded.

Inside her mind, she screamed. She was smart enough to realize that Vision had the Mind Stone, and to put two and two together. She threw crimson bolts at the confines of her cage and grew all the more furious when her magic melted away. 

On the outside, she reached for the cell phone in her pocket and pulled it out. She pressed a couple of buttons and lifted the phone to her ear. Her voice was calm but perky when she said, “Hey Viz, it’s me! Can you get away and meet me? I have something I want to talk about. You can? Great. I’ll be there within the hour.”

“And now we wait,” Loki purred, smirking. He was amused by the ferocity of her anger. Apparently she really did care for the Vision, which was surprising. 

They went to the hotel where the witch and Vision often stayed. He ordered the witch to go inside and rent her usual room. This would go more smoothly if the Vision had no reason to suspect that something was wrong before Loki sprung his trap. He watched from a distance as the witch paid. Amusingly, she was struggling to alert the desk clerk that something was wrong – never realizing that the desk clerk was flinching away from her the whole time, and practically fled the desk the second the witch’s back was turned.

The witch took the elevator up to her room, where she sat on the bed. She sat there for well over an hour, body staring off into space, as the sun began to set. By the time the Vision arrived, it was well after dark. Loki lingered in the shadows, watching as the android phased through the wall. For all of his senses, the Vision didn’t even notice that they were not alone. He went straight to the witch.

“Wanda, I was surprised to get your call. I thought that you said we couldn’t meet again this quickly?” the Vision said, reaching for her.

“I know, but Steve’s been so distracted by Bucky. I was able to slip out a lot sooner than I thought I would,” the witch said with a giggle, rising to her feet and skilfully ducking the Vision’s hands. “That’s why I called you. I wanted to see you one last time.”

The Vision paused, a confused look crossing his face. “One last time?”

Loki flicked his fingers. Five glowing green bands locked into place around the Vision’s body, encircling his ankles, thighs, hips, midsection and upper chest, and pinning his hands and arms. The Vision staggered in surprise and fell to his knees, unable to keep his balance with his legs pinned so tightly together. He looked up at the witch with wide eyes and finally seemed to realize that something was wrong.

“What – who’s done this to you?” he shouted.

“That would be me,” Loki said, stepping out of the shadows and sauntering over to the witch.

“Loki?!” the Vision exclaimed. “How – when –”

“Funnily enough, you would’ve known about my presence had you remained loyal,” Loki replied. He would never understand the Vision’s decision to sneak off and see the witch at every available opportunity. After what she’d done, the Vision should have kept his distance.

But that was the power of the Infinity Stones did. They corrupted. They weren’t safe for anyone, mortal or not. Loki eyed the glowing yellow stone that rested in the middle of the Vision’s forehead. If the Vision used its power, there was a chance he could escape. Loki had taken that into consideration, though. He casually wrapped an arm around the witch and held a knife to her throat.

“No! Don’t hurt her,” the Vision said, flinging a hand out. He froze when Loki dug the tip of the knife into the witch’s throat. Just enough so that a thin rivulet of blood trickled down her neck. He wouldn’t have killed her, of course. She was too useful for that. But the Vision didn’t know that.

“Witch,” Loki breathed into her ear. “It’s time. I want you to use your powers to destroy the Mind Stone. Don’t stop for anything.”

She lifted her hands. Scarlet energy began to bubble between them. The Vision’s eyes went wide with horror, and he lurched backwards. But the witch was fast, Loki would give her that much credit, and she lashed out. The energy was akin to miniature bolts of lightning, launched out of her palms and the tips of her fingers and straight at the Mind Stone. Even when the Vision leapt into the air, her attack followed.

He screamed when it hit and crashed back down to the ground, body spasming as the scarlet magic attacked the Mind Stone. Inside the witch’s mind, she was dragging her hands through her hair and screaming. Loki took a perverse delight out of her genuine anguish; she was learning what it was like now to be on the other side. To be the one who was trapped in her mind with her body acting as a puppet outside of her command. 

_As you’ve done to others, so it will be done to you._

The Vision convulsed. His head hit the ground so hard that the wood cracked. Loki could see the precise moment when he lost the battle. His eyes rolled back and and a wordless gurgle left his mouth. The witch increased her power, throwing more energy into her ruthless attack. A hairline fracture flowed across the surface of the Mind Stone, marring the otherwise flawless surface.

Loki stared in fascination as the Mind Stone broke.

The fragments went in every direction as the Vision’s body went limp. As per his unspoken instruction, the witch threw her magic out and pulverized every last fragment into dust. And then even that dust was collected with a wave of Loki’s fingers, to later be disposed of across a multitude of galaxies. It would be safer that way; he wasn’t wholly sure whether someone could put an Infinity Stone back together, but thought it best to err on the side of caution. They couldn’t fix what they couldn’t find.

That done, he returned his attention to what remained of the Vision. Without the Mind Stone, the android looked like nothing more than an empty husk. Which was exactly what it was, Loki knew. He stepped closer and held out a hand, having grown slightly familiar with his pet’s unique brand of magic – not that Tony would ever admit that science was a form of magic, of course.

Loki smiled. And then, he _pulled_.

Nebulous orange data flowed from the Vision’s body, forming a rotating ball above Loki’s outstretched palm. He caught a glimpse of numbers arranged in a pattern that would, no doubt, have great meaning to his pet. He would deliver it immediately so that Tony could do whatever needed to be done with it to get this JARVIS back. He closed his fingers around it carefully.

“Witch,” he said, “I banish you until I have need of you again. Be gone.”

She had vanished before he’d finished speaking. He would leave her for a few days and allow her to fully absorb what she’d just done. He wondered if she would have the clarity to put two and two together and realize that he’d just forced her to do what she’d done to so many. It was unlikely. No doubt she believed herself to be an innocent prisoner who was being unfairly condemned by a god. 

Before leaving, Loki burnt the Vision’s body. There was no sense in leaving something that had been touched by an Infinity Stone behind for others to examine. That would invite too much interest in the Stones, should anyone figure out how the Vision had come to fruition. When the cold blue fire had burnt itself out, he gathered the remaining ashes and put them with the dust of the Mind Stone. They too would be scattered.

It was with a feeling of intense satisfaction that he teleported himself back to New York at last. He heard the sound of his boys long before he saw them. Their laughter lightened some of the shadows in his core. He enjoyed their levity more than he could have thought possible. He would burn the Earth itself for that sound, and damn anyone who got in his way.

James sensed him first, unsurprisingly, and said, “Loki!”

“What?” Tony asked, sounding confused.

Loki stepped around the corner and graced them both with a benevolent smile. “Good evening,” he purred. For having been gone less than twenty-four hours, his efforts had been fruitful.

“You seem happy,” James said. He was seated on the sofa beside Tony. Both of them were wrapped up in a huge, fluffy blue blanket. James seemed particularly happy, rubbing his fingertips against the blanket as he beamed at Loki. He did so love textured things; he could spend hours just _feeling_.

“I’ve accomplished the first part of our task,” Loki announced. “The being known as the Vision is dead. I burnt his body.”

Tony’s smile immediately flickered and died. Someone who didn’t know him well might have thought that his reaction was because of the Vision. Loki knew differently. He smiled, just for Tony, and held out his hand, calling forth the data. Tony bolted upright and stared at it with wide, round eyes, whole body quivering from tension like a kitten ready to pounce. He didn’t seem to know what to do.

“For you, my pet,” Loki murmured, presenting the data to him.

“Is that…” Tony couldn’t seem to finish his sentence.

“It is everything from within the Vision that had your mark.”

“JARVIS,” Tony breathed, scrambling off the couch. He approached Loki quickly but tentatively, one hand out-stretched. He paused before touching the data to look up at Loki uncertainly.

“Go ahead. I want your happiness. Bring your friend back.”

“Thank you,” Tony said fervently, slowly reaching out and cupping the data. Then he turned and fled, sprinting for the workshop.

“You’ve made his whole year with that,” James said quietly, looking up at Loki affectionately. “He’s our forever now. He’ll never betray us.”

“He wouldn’t have betrayed us regardless,” Loki said, taking Tony’s seat. He invited James into his lap with a wave of his hand, but James refrained. Instead, he kept petting at the blanket. But he did scootch closer, so that they were pretty together from shoulder to hip.

“You don’t think?” James asked.

“No. Tony is not like you, my James. I don’t need to prove my worth to him. He’s tasted kindness, protection, love. That’s all he wanted.”

James considered that, then said, “I want to rip out the hearts of his enemies.”

Loki _grinned_. “And so we shall.”

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on [tumblr](http://tsuki-chibi.tumblr.com/).


End file.
